19 April 3rds

Nineteen facts for 19 years:

1. I was 19 years old when I met Mark. Actually I met him when I was 14 at youth conference. He drove me and 3 other girls around Palm Springs in his red Mustang. But... I was 19 when I met him again and we started dating.

2. He proposed to me in a restaurant called Bobby McGee's right off Waikaikai beach in Hawaii.

3. We talked on the phone every single day I was in Hawaii from the end of August until Mid December. Except for when he flew over in October to Propose and when he flew over for Thanksgiving. This was pre-cell phone and pre-competitive phone rates. His phone bill was more than his rent. I called him collect from a little payphone stall outside my dorm. It was one of those little plexiglass phonebooths with the yellowpages on a clip and everything!

4. Just for fun, I once recorded "Just can't get enough" by Depeche Mode on a blank tape and sent it to his condo with no return address, no note of who it was from. I figured he better know it was from me!

5. I sewed him a shirt while we were dating for his 23rd birthday. He still has it in the closet.

6. I worked at Sizzler the summer we were dating. He drove 45 minutes to my town and 45 minutes back home one night just to give me a white Rose. I was waitressing that night and it was the first day we weren't going to be able to see each other since we had started dating so he wanted to leave a Rose and note at Sizzler so when I came into work there it would be. He made a mistake in timing so I was actually there when he stopped in. Earned himself some big points that night. Big points! He also came in another night I was working with some friends. He sat in my section and left me a $20 tip.

7. Our 14th anniversary was also on a Monday, so we had a FHE family party. My friend Karen made a cake modeled after our wedding cake. I got out my dress and the girls tried it on and we took pictures and then we all went to Sizzler.

8. We got married in the Las Vegas Temple. My mom didn't want people to think we were "getting married in vegas" so in the newspaper announcement of our engagement/wedding she said we were getting married in the LDS temple in Henderson Nevada.

9. My wedding colors were soft pink and forrest green.

10. I arrived at the florist 30 minutes after they closed to pick up my bouquet. I am still mad that they didn't call my house when they closed to remind someone to come pick it up. I never did pick it up. All that $ wasted and I had nothing to hold.

11. My cake topper was a Precious Moments Bride and Groom.

12. My centerpieces were BIG brandy snifters with little pink and green pebbles in the bottom, water and a goldfish. I still think they were cool. One of our Groomsmen drank a gold fish in a toast to us. Ugghh. Poor fish.

13. I wanted a headband style veil after seeing the one Kimberly Williams Paisley wore in "Father of the bride" My friend Elly made it for me. I sewed the pearls around the bottom of my veil. A lady in my ward made my dress as a wedding gift. The fabric cost $200.

14. We danced to Bryan Adams "everything I do, i do it for you". We had no official song. Mark is not an "our song" kind of guy. I'm a little embarrassed. It's kind of a cheesy song. I wish I'd picked a better song. We had all the dances; Mother son, father daughter. We even had a money dance. That was fun. I hope my girls have dancing at their receptions. Forget the line! let's have a party.

15. I was the first kid in my family to get married. It was really stressful. My dad offered us $$ to elope and forget the reception. I wasn't ever sure if he was kidding or not. Mark was all for it. I wanted my reception.

16 Besides the bouquet debacle, the photographer didn't show. A miscommunication. My mom was scrambling to get someone there to take pictures.

17. Because of pictures.... Mark and I left our reception in a big fight. He didnt' WANT to TAKE ANY MORE STINKING PICTURES! Poor guy. Married since 8am and still not alone with the bride.

18. We had an hour drive to his condo where we spent our wedding night. Happily... we made up before we arrived.

19. We flew to San Francisco the next day for our honeymoon. Alcatraz. Lombado Street. Pier 49. Fisherman's wharf. Museums. Restaurants. Street performers. Ghiradelli chocolate factory. China town. It was perfect.

This anniversary is a little hard to celebrate with Rachel's play last night, priesthood session tonight, Conference tomorrow and 4H parent showcase Monday night. We're sandwiched by family obligations. The family we started. The family we love. It's all good. But Next year. The big 2-0. We better do something big. Just sayin......